Singer 6699 Starlet Sewing Machine Review

 

In order to get a feel for consumer sentiment about this particular sewing machine we scoured retail websites for owner ratings.  We found 20 owner ratings for the Singer 6699 Starlet at 5 different large well-known retail outlets – see table below:

 

Source	Consumer Rating	# Ratings
Amazon.com	2.3 stars out of 5	9
Amazon.ca	4 stars out of 5	1
Walmart.com	2.8 stars out of 5	6
Walmart.ca	3.7 stars out of 5	3
Costco UK	5 stars out of 5	1

 

When the above ratings were averaged (using a weighted average) they resulted in a score of 57.6 out of 100, or about 2.9 stars out of 5.  This is not a particularly good score.  As mentioned previously this is actually the second lowest rated sewing machine on our website.  You may want to view our table of all sewing machine ratings for comparison purposes (and to find some of the highest rated machines).

 

Best and Worst of Singer
Singer is perhaps not what it used to be but they still have some good sewing machines.  The top rated Singer sewing machines on our site include:

 

BEST

You may want to consider avoiding some of the lower rated Singer sewing machines on our site. These include: 

 

WORST

 

Model	Avg Consumer Rating
Singer QuickFix	52.4
Singer 2932	58.6
Singer 6199 Brilliance	63.0
Singer 3116 Simple	70.1
Singer 5400 Sew Mate	72.4
Singer CG-590	74.2

 

Pros & Cons
A thorough analysis of owner comments and reviews has provided the following 6699 Starlet likes and dislikes:

 

PROS
- Has an automatic needle threader
- Not too heavy
- Has features for sewing buttonholes

 

CONS
- Thread bunches up a lot
- Jams can sometimes break needles
- Not as easy to use as expected
- Constant bobbin problems
- Can be tricky to thread
- Sewing light is dim

 

What Are Owners Saying?
Most owners are not particularly pleased with their purchase and we’ve seen quite a few negative comments such as the following:
"sorry I wasted my money"
"worst sewing machine"
"I'm very frustrated"
"isn't very user friendly"
"waste of money"

 

Probably the most common issue is that the machine jams frequently and these jams can also lead to needles breaking.  We see a lot of comments related to problems with the bobbin and that the machine is more difficult to use than expected.  There are some owners who feel the Starlet is suitable for beginners but there are a number of others who say that you probably should have some experience with sewing machines before using this one or you will struggle.

 

 

The Starlet does come with an automatic needle threader but there are still folks who struggle to thread the machine.  Also, the LED light is not very bright and some owners wish it did a better job of illuminating the sewing area.

 

The unit does have a large number of fully automatic 1-step buttonholes and this is viewed favorably.  In addition, the 6699 Starlet is not too heavy and this makes it easy to pick up and move.  It is not as light as some of the machines we recommend for taking to classes (best portable sewing machines) but it is not as heavy as many other machines either.

 

You can read more Starlet owner comments on Amazon.

 

Key Specifications
- 100 built-in stitches (76 decorative, 9 basic, 8 stretch, 7 buttonholes)
- Push button stitch selection
- LCD screen showing selected stitch
- Automatic needle threader
- LED light
- 6 fully automatic 1 step buttonholes
- 1 endless buttonhole (no size limitation)
- Automatic/adjustable stitch length and width
- Maximum 6.5mm stitch width
- Automatic presser foot pressure
- Snap on presser feet
- Extra high presser foot lifter
- 13 needle positions
- Automatic reverse button
- Maximum sewing speed = 750 stitches per minute
- Free arm
- Automatic tension
- Automatic bobbin winding clutch
- Front loading bobbin

 

Stitch Chart
Following is a stitch chart showing the unit’s 100 stitches

 

Accessories
The Starlet comes with no less than 8 presser feet:
- All-Purpose Foot
- Blind Hem Foot
- Invisible Zipper Foot
- Button Sewing Foot
- Zipper Foot
- Buttonhole Foot
- Overcasting Foot
- Roller Foot

 

 

Accessories include bobbins (class 15 metal), a seam ripper, a lint brush, additional needles, thread spool caps, an auxiliary spool pin, a screwdriver, a needle plate, a darning plate, and spool pin felt.  You will also get an extension table and a hard dust cover.  An instruction manual and power cord are, of course, provided.

 

 

Many of the accessories can be stored in the sewing machine’s on-board storage.

 

Weight & Warranty
The Starlet is not too heavy, at only 14.6 lbs.  This is lighter than most sewing machines but is still not what we would consider “lightweight”. There are many more portable units many of which are under 12 lbs (see our list of best portable sewing machines).

 

This sewing machine carries a 25-year limited warranty.  What does this really mean?  Well, it does not mean you get 25 years on the entire machine.  It actually breaks down as follows:

- 25-year limited warranty on the sewing machine head
- 2-year limited warranty on electronic components, wiring, switches, speed controls, light assembly, and motor
- 90 day limited warranty on rings, belts, bulbs, attachments and adjustments

 

You can read more about this warranty here if you like.  In addition, this is a 110V sewing machine so it is only designed and warranted for use in the US and Canada.

 

 

Sewing Machine Manual
The manual is written in English, French and Spanish.  The format is a little annoying as it doesn’t provide all English instructions in one section of the manual, with French and Spanish instructions also residing in their own sections of the manual.  Rather, each English paragraph or piece of information is then followed by the same info in French and then in Spanish.  This makes browsing difficult.  But we’ve seen this kind of format with product manuals before. 

 

The 6699 Manual covers quite a bit and the illustrations are reasonably clear.  You will find information on setting up the machine, knowing your accessories, different features, the control panel, starting to sew, the different stitching options, caring for your machine, etc.  You can view a copy of the manual here: Singer 6699 Starlet Sewing Machine Manual